Corporate Recruiters Survey

Transcription

1 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: Corporate Recruiters Survey 2014 SURVEY REPORT

2 Contents Introduction Key Findings Hiring Outlook Regional Hiring Trends Demand by Industry and Function Compensation Additional Benefits Job Placement and Student Mobility Recruiter Behavior Recruitment Methods Social Media and Recruiting School Selection Student Selection Interns and Internships Skills Employers Seek in New Hires Concluding Note Explore the Interactive Report Methodology Respondent Characteristics Regional Location of Survey Respondents Contact Information Contributors Acknowledgements

3 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 3 Introduction Conducted annually since 2001, the Corporate Recruiters Survey aims to portray the current employment landscape, gauge the demand for MBA and master s-level business graduates, and provide insight into hiring practices and trends across industries and world regions. With support from survey partners EFMD and MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance (MBA CSEA) and 133 business schools worldwide, the GMAC 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey drew responses from nearly 600 employers in 44 countries around the globe, with sample sizes large enough to report details for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, Europe, and the United States. The Methodology section at the end of this report has a detailed demographic profile of survey respondents. The sample includes 32 of the top 100 companies in the Financial Times 500 and 36 of the world s Fortune 100 firms. Survey topics featured in this report include: n Hiring demand for recent business school graduates, as well as bachelor s-degree candidates and experienced direct-industry hires, by major world regions and industries. n Expected compensation for recent graduate business school hires, including median starting salary and nonmonetary benefits, as well as job placement and mobility. n Recruiter behavior and practices, including most effective recruitment methods, and school and candidate selection criteria. n Analysis new to this year s survey about skill sets and skill proficiency levels that employers expect recent business school graduates to possess upon hire. About This Study The Corporate Recruiters Survey is a product of the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global nonprofit education organization of leading graduate business schools and the owner of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT ). The GMAT exam is an important part of the admissions process for more than 6,000 graduate management programs around the world. GMAC is dedicated to creating access to and disseminating information about graduate management education; these schools and others rely on the Council as the premier provider of reliable data about the graduate management education industry. School Signup Open for GMAC Survey Research Series Visit gmac.com/surveysignup today to include your school in GMAC research studies. Schools can facilitate surveys directly by sending invitations and survey links to participants or GMAC researchers can manage the survey process for you. Signup continues year-round for all GMAC surveys. Benefits of participation include service to industry, pre-release of benchmark reports, and access to interactive online research tools. Accompanying Data GMAC offers two interactive online tools to accompany this summary of the Corporate Recruiters Survey exclusively for schools that participated in the study. The interactive online research tool lets users examine survey responses in greater depth and conduct customized data searches by numerous demographic variables. 1 In addition, customizable benchmark reports offer an opportunity for participating schools to compare the responses of their employers against aggregate data from peer schools. More information about using these tools can be found in the Explore the Interactive Report section in this report. This summary report with overall response information and a list of participating institutions are publicly available at gmac.com/corporaterecruiters. 1 The interactive report is best viewed in Internet Explorer 10+, Google Chrome, Safari, or ios browsers.

4 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report Key Findings Hiring Demand Up for Business Graduates Employer demand for graduate business students across all candidate types is on the rise this year, both globally and by world region. More companies report plans to hire recent business school graduates in 2014 compared with actual hiring in n Four in five (8) companies plan to hire MBAs, up from 73 percent in n More companies plan to hire Master in Management graduates (5 in 2014, up from 45% in 2013). n More employers are seeking Master of Accounting graduates (45% in 2014, up from 36% in 2013). n Demand is also increased for Master of Finance candidates (44% in 2014, up from 39% in 2013). Employer Hiring Trends Mirror Growth and Productivity Goals In 2014, as economic conditions worldwide have recovered, more companies are increasingly focused on improved performance and productivity and hiring business graduates to sustain and strengthen their growth. Regional hiring trends mirror organizational goals. n In Asia-Pacific, more companies will hire recent business school graduates compared with last year, with the greatest hiring growth expected for graduates of specialized master s programs in management, accounting, and finance. Asia-Pacific companies are shifting away from economic challenges and cost reduction goals and placing more focus on growth goals. Forty-five percent of companies are planning to launch new products in 2014 (up from 37% in 2013). MBA Compensation in 2014 Comparable to Last Year This year, a majority of companies worldwide will offer recent MBA graduates starting salaries comparable to those offered in 2013, with the exception of employers in the Asia-Pacific region. n The median base salary for recent MBA graduates in the Asia-Pacific region in 2014 is US$21,000. The majority of Asia-Pacific employers (62%) plan to increase MBA base salaries at the rate of inflation (31%) or above (31%), compared with n The median base salary for recent MBAs in Europe in 2014 is US$69,000, and reflects a salary premium of US$28,000 over expected starting pay for recipients of bachelor s degrees, who will earn a median of US$41,000. n The projected median base salary for MBAs in the United States in 2014 is US$95,000. This represents a US$45,000 premium over recent bachelor s-degree recipients, who will earn a median of US$50,000. Communication Skills Top Sought-After Proficiencies in New Hires New this year, employers were asked to evaluate not only which skill sets are most important when considering job candidates to hire, but the level of skill proficiency they require for placing candidates in a mid-level job. n Employers seek recent graduates who are highly proficient in skills, specifically oral, followed by listening and writing skills. n On average, employers ranked s skills twice as important as managerial skills. n A greater proportion of European companies plans to hire recent MBA, Master in Management, and Master of Accounting graduates in 2014 compared with Although fewer European companies are focused on cost reduction goals (39% of companies this year compared with 52% in 2013), the percentage of companies with plans for growth and expansion will be similar to n In the United States, there is modest growth in the hiring outlook for business school graduates in While MBA talent remains the dominant source of business school hires among US companies, employers this year foresee growth in specialized business master s (non- MBA) hires.

5 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 5 Hiring Outlook The job outlook for class of 2014 business school graduates is improved compared with last year s actual hiring, with a greater percentage of companies planning to hire recent graduates from MBA and non-mba business master s programs. Generally, the proportion of employers seeking business school graduates has grown steadily over the past five survey years (Figure 1): n Four out of five (8) companies plan to hire an MBA graduate in 2014, up from 50 percent in 2009 and 73 percent last year. n Half (5) of the employers surveyed in 2014 plan to hire graduates from Master in Management programs (up from 18% in 2009 and 45% in 2013). n Forty-five percent of companies plan to hire Master of Accounting graduates (up from 17% in 2009 and 36% in 2013). n Forty-four percent of employers plan to hire Master of Finance graduates (up from 39% last year). Employer demand for graduates of nonbusiness master s programs has held relatively steady during the past few years, while demand for bachelor s-degree graduates has decreased slightly after rebounding in Eight in 10 companies intend to hire employees directly from industry in 2014, up slightly from hiring levels seen in recent years. In 2014, more employers plan to open their doors to recent business school graduates to assist in meeting their corporate goals. When asked their reasons for hiring business school graduates, employers say that business school graduates bring the ability to think outside the box, have the leadership potential needed, provide a strategic focus, acumen, and proven ability to perform, and tend to have a short learning curve and ambition. The main reason our company plans to hire business school graduates in 2014 is because of the business acumen they often have prior to entering the workforce. US products and services employer Corporate goals act as a barometer that provides insight into how companies perceive economic conditions and the business landscape, and illustrates how that may translate into employment opportunities for recent business graduates in the coming year. As economic conditions worldwide have improved, concern for reducing costs and overcoming economic challenges has lessened (Figure 2). Figure 1. Percentage of Companies That Hired or Plan to Hire New Employees, by Candidate Type, (Actual) and 2014 (Projected) (Actual) 2014 (Projected) 10 Percentage of respondents % 72% 71% 73% 8 18% 18% 35% 42% 45% 5 17% 29% 34% 36% 45% 41% 39% 44% 37% 35% 43% 46% 47% 51% 31% 31% 47% 52% 53% 54% 56% 55% 76% 75% 75% 74% 58% 58% 79% 77% 77% 8 1 MBA Master in Management Master of Accounting Master of Finance Other specialized business master's Nonbusiness master's Bachelor's Experienced directindustry hires New graduates Source: Data for reflect actual hiring outcomes as reported in Corporate Recruiters Survey findings from 2010 through Actual 2013 and projected 2014 hiring data are from the 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey. Data for Master of Accounting not available prior to 2010; data for Master of Finance not available prior to 2012.

6 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report Figure 2. Decline in Percentage of Employers Focused on Economic Challenges as Primary Goal ( ) Percentage of respondents % % % 29% 31% 25% Overcoming economic challenges Source: Data reported in GMAC Corporate Recruiters Surveys from 2009 through Similar to recent years, the majority of companies in 2014 are focused on improving performance and productivity as a primary goal, followed by expanding their customer base. Companies with plans for growth (e.g., expanding their customer base or launching new products and services) are more likely to hire MBA students compared with companies still focused on overcoming economic challenges in Regional Hiring Trends Reducing costs % 57% 5 46% 49% 45% Employers who responded to this survey revealed regional differences in their companies organizational goals for 2014 (Table 1). Within each region, companies focused on growth and expansion goals this year are more likely to have plans to hire recent MBA graduates compared with those still faced with overcoming economic challenges and reducing costs. The following discussion details specific hiring trends by candidate type in three major world regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States, as displayed in Figure 3. ASIA-PACIFIC: In contrast to 2013 organizational goals, 2 companies based in the Asia-Pacific region are shifting their focus away from overcoming challenges and reducing costs and toward expansion. For example, in 2013, onethird (34%) of companies reported they were overcoming economic challenges, compared with 28 percent of companies this year. At the same time, more firms are focusing on growth: 45 percent of companies are planning to launch new products, up from 37 percent in Compared with employers in Europe and the United States, companies in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to show the greatest growth rates in hiring of business school graduates in MBAs remain the most sought-after business degree candidate; 13 percent more Asia-Pacific companies plan to hire MBAs in 2014 (83% of employers) compared with last year (7).The greatest hiring growth in 2014, however, will be seen among non-mba business master s candidates: n Sixteen percent more companies in Asia-Pacific plan to hire Master in Management graduates in 2014 (68%, up from 52% in 2013); n Fourteen percent more employers plan to hire Master of Accounting graduates (53%, up from 39% a year ago); and n Seventeen percent more companies intend to hire Master of Finance graduates in 2014 (57%, up from 4 in 2013). Table 1. Employer Organizational Goals by Region, 2014 Expand/Grow Improve Overcome Employer Location Category/Goal Asia-Pacific Europe United States Expand geographically 42% 22% 32% Expand customer base 56% 45% 55% Launch new product(s)/services 45% 38% 48% Complete or integrate a merger 13% 14% 18% Improve customer service 41% 41% 41% Diversify the organization 27% 14% 33% Improve performance/productivity 73% 67% 73% Overcome economic challenges 28% 28% 23% Reduce costs 38% 39% 48% 2 GMAC (2013) Corporate Recruiters Survey Hiring Report.

7 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 7 The graduates are more mature in personality, have clearer career development plan, trained in finance, management, or business development. Finance and accounting employer in Asia-Pacific Eager to grow, driven, and tend to be selfmotivated. They have been exposed to the industry, and are relatively experienced and aware of what entails the rigor of a marketing job. Products and services employer in Asia-Pacific Employers in the Asia-Pacific region seek the unique skills that business graduates bring to help them grow and expand their companies. They report that these graduates understand the market, have a strategic business mindset, and are self-motivated. EUROPE: In comparison with recent hiring patterns reported by European employers that reflected the region s struggling economy, 2014 survey findings bear some bright employment news for graduate business school students. Although the percentage of European companies seeking to expand and grow is expected to be similar to 2013, fewer companies are focusing on reducing costs (39% of companies this year compared with 52% of companies in 2013). Figure 3. Percentage of Companies That Hired or Plan to Hire by Candidate Type and World Region, 2013 (Actual) and 2014 (Projected) Asia-Pacific 2013 (Actual) Asia-Pacific 2014 (Projected) % 52% 68% 39% 53% 4 57% 47% 65% 55% 57% 75% 78% 81% 92% MBA Master in Management Master of Accounting Master of Finance Other specialized business master's Nonbusiness master's Bachelor's Experienced directindustry hires Europe 2013 (Actual) Europe 2014 (Projected) % 61% 61% 64% 33% 46% 5 49% 58% 52% 56% 57% 64% 55% 62% 67% MBA Master in Management Master of Accounting Master of Finance Other specialized business master's Nonbusiness master's Bachelor's Experienced directindustry hires United States 2013 (Actual) United States 2014 (Projected) 10 81% 86% 77% 78% 8 81% 5 33% 36% 35% 4 32% 35% 41% 46% 52% 49% MBA Master in Management Master of Accounting Master of Finance Other specialized business master's Nonbusiness master's Bachelor's Experienced directindustry hires Source: Hiring data for 2013 and 2014 are from the 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey.

8 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report they are more willing to learn and interested in being part of our team (not only at work, in their leisure time as well). Consulting firm in Europe A greater proportion of European companies plans to hire recent MBA, Master in Management, and Master of Accounting graduates in 2014 compared with actual hiring in 2013: n Sixty-one percent of companies plan to hire MBA graduates in 2014, up from 52 percent in n Forty-six percent of companies plan to hire Master of Accounting graduates, up from 33 percent in UNITED STATES: Although the share of US companies planning to expand and grow in 2014 is smaller than reported in 2013, the percentage of companies struggling to overcome economic challenges has also declined. The US hiring outlook for business school graduates in 2014 shows signs of modest growth. Recent MBA talent remains the dominant source of graduate business school hires for US companies, but survey findings also show evidence of a growing share of companies planning to hire non-mba business school graduates in general, and specifically in certain US regions: n Eighty-six percent of US employers plan to hire MBA graduates in 2014, up from 81 percent in n Forty percent of firms plan to hire recent Master of Accounting graduates (up from 35% in 2013). n Forty-six percent of US companies plan to hire Other Specialized Business Master s graduates, an increase of five percent compared with A balanced profile with relevant real life experience (in past) + business acumen + enhanced skills + overall awareness about the market/industry + hunger to apply what is learned and achieve more. US products and services employer Business school graduates will hopefully bring a knowledge of current industry trends, tools, and techniques to our organization. Most MBA graduates have learned to think outside the box and work in teams. Health care employer in the United States US REGIONS: Hiring demand for MBA graduates is high across all regions in the United States, ranging from 81 percent of employers in the South to 91 percent of companies in the Midwest in 2014 (Table 2). The largest increase in the percentage of companies expecting to hire MBAs this year is seen in the West, with 87 percent of companies planning to hire MBAs in 2014, compared with 76 percent last year. Hiring plans for recent Master of Finance graduates have held steady compared with 2013, with the exception of the Midwest region; 38 percent of companies will seek finance graduates, up from only 26 percent of employers who sought these candidates in Master in Management graduates will find a greater proportion of companies seeking to hire them in the West Table 2. Percentage of US Companies That Hired or Plan to Hire, by Candidate Type and US Region, (Actual) and 2014 (Projected) Northeast Midwest South West 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) MBA 84% 87% 83% 91% 81% 81% 76% 87% Master in Management Master of Accounting Master of Finance 42% 34% 33% 31% 29% 32% 32% 47% % 38% 37% 44% 38% 46% 3 31% 26% 38% 31% 33% 38% 38% Source: Hiring data for 2013 and 2014 are from the 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey. 3 US regions are based on survey participant location and organized by regional classifications used by the US Census Bureau. See Regional Location of Survey Respondents for complete list of states represented in the survey.

9 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 9 (47% of employers), and hiring prospects for Master of Accounting graduates are strongest in the West (46%) and South (44%). Demand by Industry and Function Within each industry, 4 there is substantial variety in the job functions employers seek to fill with business school graduates, many of which fall outside typical stereotypes associated with MBA hires. For instance, one might consider investment banking to be primarily a Wall Street job when in fact 31 percent of companies outside the world of finance and accounting expect to hire business graduates to fill an investment banking function. The following discussion briefly describes the demand for business school graduates (Figure 4) and the job functions companies expect to fill in CONSULTING: Hiring demand in 2014 for recent business graduates across all program types is higher compared with n Organizational Goals: The two primary goals for 2014, as reported by employers in the consulting sector, are to improve performance and productivity (7) and expand the customer base (68%). n Job Functions: Consulting firms primarily seek to fill consulting positions (9), followed by data analytics (49%) and business development (48%) functions. Figure 4. Company Hiring Worldwide, by Industry and Candidate Type, 2013 (Actual) to 2014 (Projected) MBA Master in Mangement Master of Accounting Master of Finance Industry 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) 2013 (Actual) 2014 (Projected) Consulting 71% 84% 53% 61% 33% 48% 39% 44% Finance/ Accounting 76% 82% 44% 43% 54% 64% 55% 62% Health Care/ Pharmaceuticals 81% 9 ND ND ND Technology 73% 74% 52% 48% 32% 37% 39% 4 Manufacturing 85% 87% 41% 41% 32% 36% 31% 34% Products/ Services 68% 75% 36% 51% 29% 39% 3 38% Data not shown for management, accounting, or finance master s due to insufficient responses, N < Energy/utilities and nonprofit/government sector data not included in industry hiring discussion due to insufficient survey responses, N < 25.

10 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING: Recent MBA, Master of Accounting, and Master of Finance graduates seeking employment in this sector may find more job opportunities in 2014 than last year s class. n Organizational Goals: Nearly three in four (71%) finance and accounting firms will focus on improving their performance and productivity in 2014, but half (51%) will expand their customer base, 46 percent will improve customer services, and 42 percent will work to reduce costs. n Job Functions: The majority of finance and accounting companies surveyed plan to fill finance (59%) and accounting (56%) functions with recent business school graduates. Other functions with high hiring demand include investment banking (45%), information technology (44%), and business development (41%). HEALTH CARE AND PHARMACEUTICALS: Nine out of 10 health care and pharmaceutical companies plan to hire an MBA candidate in 2014, up from 81 percent in n Organizational Goals: Unlike other sectors, the primary goal reported by employers in the health care industry in 2014 is reducing costs (74%). Sixty-five percent plan to improve performance and productivity and launch new products and services. n Job Functions: Eighty-eight percent of employers in the health care/pharmaceutical field seek to fill marketing and sales positions in 2014, followed by finance (56%), business development (56%), and general management functions (52%). TECHNOLOGY: Demand for recent business school graduates is mixed within the technology sector. Firms report a growing need for Master of Accounting graduates. The demand for MBA and Master of Finance candidates is holding steady but hiring of Master in Management candidates is expected to decline. n Organizational Goals: Like most industry sectors, the majority (73%) of high-tech companies aim to improve performance in Other notable goals include launching new products and services (54%), and expanding the customer base (53%). n Job Functions: More than half (54%) of technology firms will seek to fill marketing and sales positions in 2014, and 52 percent will be hiring to fill finance functions. MANUFACTURING: For 2014, employers in the manufacturing sector report increased demand for Master of Accounting and Master of Finance graduates. n Organizational Goals: Similar to other sectors, manufacturers top goal for 2014 is to improve performance and productivity (73%). The majority of manufacturing firms reported growth goals: 61 percent seek to expand their customer base; 57 percent will launch new products and services, and 51 percent will expand geographically. At the same time, 61 percent will work to reduce costs and 51 percent plan to improve customer service. In line with these goals, manufacturers will be seeking to hire business school graduates highly proficient in leadership skills (see Skills section for further discussion). n Job Functions: Top functional areas where manufacturers intend to place recent graduate business hires include marketing and sales (65% of employers), finance (61%), and operations and logistics (52%). Forty-five percent of companies also seek to fill positions in general management, business development, and human resources and organizational management. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Demand for business graduates within this sector is projected to increase across all program candidate types in 2014, with the largest expected gain reported for Master in Management graduates. n Organizational Goals: Within the products and services industry, 78 percent of firms will seek to improve performance and productivity in More than half (55%) plan to reduce costs; 53 percent will launch new products, and 52 percent will expand their customer base. n Job Functions: Nearly 4 in 5 products and services firms plan to place recent business school graduates in marketing and sales positions, followed by finance (59% of employers), general management (57%), and human resources and organizational management functions (55%). Recent graduate business candidates most often are placed in entry- or mid-level positions upon first hiring after graduation, although some employers will fill positions with less-seasoned talent or will reserve some functions for candidates with more industry experience. For example, 29 percent of respondents in 2014 will place recent graduates in senior consulting positions, as shown in Table 3. On the other hand, only 13 percent of companies will place recent business school graduates in senior-level data analytics positions. Compensation In 2014, the majority of survey respondents report they will offer recently hired business school graduates starting salaries comparable to those offered in 2013 (Figure 5). This trend is most prominent in Europe, where between 64 percent and 73 percent of companies will maintain salaries at 2013 levels for new graduate business hires across program types. Starting salaries offered by a majority of employers in the United States (between 55% and 62% of companies) will also remain at 2013 levels across all candidate types. On the other hand, 62 percent of companies in the Asia-Pacific region plan to increase base salaries for new MBA hires at or above the rate of inflation.

11 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 11 Table 3. Demand for Recent Business School Graduates by Function, Overall, & Job Level Function % of Companies Placing Recent Hires in Function Job Level Within Function Entry Mid-Level Senior Executive Accounting 46% 6 59% 17% 4% Business development 49% 34% 61% 24% 1 Consulting 43% 43% 63% 29% 8% Data analytics 44% 54% 61% 13% 4% Finance 54% 49% 59% 15% 5% General management 46% 36% 56% 2 12% HR/organizational management 43% 5 53% 2 6% Investment banking 31% 46% 5 26% 6% IT/MIS 43% 59% 56% 24% 7% Marketing/sales 54% 45% 61% 19% 4% Operations and logistics 41% 51% 55% 16% 9% *Percentages do not sum to 100 due to multiple selections. Figure 5. Change in Annual Starting Salary, 2013 to 2014, by Candidate Type* and World Region Increase above the rate of inflation Increase at same rate as inflation Stay the same as 2013 Decrease compared with % 2% 8 38% Percentage of respondents % 64% 68% 73% 71% 55% 27% 59% 56% 29% 62% 2 31% 24% 23% 18% 23% 35% 31% 0 MBA 9% MBA 6% MiM 9% MAcc 6% MFin 18% MBA 6% MiM 16% MAcc 7% MFin Asia- Pacific Europe United States *Program abbreviations: MiM, Master in Management; MAcc, Master of Accounting; MFin, Master of Finance.

12 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report Figure 6. Expected 2014 Starting Salaries for Recent Business Graduates, by Candidate Type* and World Region** 25th percentile Median 75th percentile $120 $104 $104 US dollars (in thousands) $100 $80 $60 $40 $69 $104 $55 $104 $52 $104 $41 $41 $41 $38 $57 $80 $95 $85 $85 $50 $63 $60 $73 $20 $41K Median Bachelor s $50K Median Bachelor s $0 MBA MiM MAcc MFin MBA MAcc MFin Europe United States *Program abbreviations: MiM, Master in Management; MAcc, Master of Accounting; MFin, Master of Finance. Data not shown for MiM in the United States due to limited responses, N < 25. **Employers reporting salary data for Europe are located in the following countries in Western Europe (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) and in Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, and Russia). Figure 6 shows the expected median starting salaries for business school graduates in 2014 by world region. The following section discusses regional differences in salary projections for the coming year. EUROPE: Recent MBA graduates seeking employment in Europe can expect to see a median starting base salary of US$69,018, although starting salaries will range from US$41,000 (25th percentile) up to US$104,000 (75th percentile). (The wide spread in salary ranges reflects marketplace differentials of the 17 European nations represented in this survey. For example, the expected median MBA salary reported by employers located in 13 countries in Western Europe is US$83,000 in 2014.) The salary premium over the starting pay offered to a bachelor s-degree (or first degree) candidate in Europe is US$28,000. The majority of European firms (64%) plan to maintain their starting MBA salaries in 2014 consistent with 2013 salary levels. UNITED STATES: The projected median starting salary for MBAs in the United States in 2014 is US$95,000, similar to 2013 projections, and it is greater than the projected median salary of US$83,000 for direct-industry hires. This represents a US$45,000 salary premium over recent bachelor s-degree recipients, who can expect to receive a median starting salary of US$50,000. The majority (55%) of companies plan to maintain MBA salaries for this year s hires at 2013 levels. The remaining US respondents will increase salaries at the rate of inflation (27%) or above (18%) in Median base salaries for specialized business master s recipients range from US$63,000 (Master of Accounting) to US$73,000 (Master of Finance), also sizably higher than the median base bachelor-level salary in ASIA-PACIFIC: The median base MBA salary for the Asia-Pacific region is US$21,340 (Figure 7). Although substantially lower than other regions, the majority of companies reporting from this region were located in India and the Philippines, where the per capita income is also much lower than Western countries: US$4,307 for India and US$4,962 in the Philippines. 5 In Asia-Pacific, the starting base salary for recent MBA graduates is nearly the same as that offered to directindustry hires, which demonstrates the value companies put on the graduate business degree credential. 5 International Monetary Fund. (2014, April). World Economic Outlook Database.

13 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 13 Additional Benefits Globally, companies plan to offer a range of additional benefits to new graduate business hires in The most common are health benefits (offered by 8 of employers) and benefits related to work/life balance (8) such as vacation, paid leave, flexible work schedules, etc. A majority of employers in 2014 also will offer professional development opportunities (68%) and retirement plans Figure 7. Expected Starting Salaries in 2014, by Candidate Type, Asia-Pacific* $80 25th percentile Median 75th percentile (63%). Nearly half (44%) of responding companies will offer signing bonuses to newly hired business graduates as a part of their overall compensation package. Job Placement and Student Mobility Regional job placement findings reveal that most employers plan to place newly hired business school graduates within their company s home region. For example, in 2014, 96 percent of US-based recruiters will place recent business graduates in jobs located in the United States. Similarly, 91 percent of companies in Europe will place their new business school recruits in jobs within the European region. A majority of Asia-Pacific companies also plan to place new graduate business hires in work locations within Asia, with 67 percent of Asia-Pacific employers placing candidates in South and Southeast Asia and 44 percent locating new hires in Central Asia. US dollars (in thousands) $60 $40 $20 $0 MBA $32.5 $21 $11 Asia-Pacific $31 $21 Experienced hires *Employers reporting salary data for the Asia-Pacific region are located in: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. $8 Visas and International Placement Many graduate business students leave their home country to study abroad and later seek employment in their host country. For example, 87 percent of international students who study in the United States seek employment in the United States. 6 Due to immigration restrictions, legal paperwork, and financial constraints, however, this is not always possible unless an employer is willing to sponsor the graduate. Of companies planning to hire recent business graduates in 2014, 21 percent have specific plans to employ recent business school graduates who require legal documentation, such as a visa or work permit. An additional 35 percent of employers say they are willing to hire such candidates, but do not have specific plans to do so in Business schools that participated in the 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey have access to benchmark reports and interactive research reports that offer more data about candidate compensation and benefits, as well as job placement and mobility by region, industry, company size, and job function. Learn more about these survey participation benefits at gmac.com/corporaterecruiters. 6 GMAC (2014, in press). Global Management Education Graduate Survey Report. Will be available on gmac.com/globalgrads in June 2014.

14 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report The proportion of US-based employers that plan to hire graduates requiring visas in 2014 matches or exceeds those of their European and Asia-Pacific counterparts. On the other hand, the percentage of US companies stating that they will not employ such candidates vastly exceeds the share of Asia-Pacific or European companies unwilling to do so (Figure 8). Company size also is a determining factor when examining what types of companies are most likely to hire graduates requiring visas. This year s survey findings show that smaller companies are less likely than larger companies to hire candidates requiring visas, a finding consistent with past research. Figure 8. Percentage of Employers with Plans to Hire Candidates Requiring Visas in 2014, by Recruiter Location and Company Size (Number of Employees) Plan to hire candidates requiring visas in 2014 Willing to hire candidates requiring visas, but have no specific plans for 2014 Will not hire candidates requiring visas in % Percentage of respondents % 46% 33% 57% 31% 23% 24% 53% 27% 18% 43% 39% 41% 29% 3 24% 32% 44% 12% 1 Asia-Pacific Europe United States Fewer than to 999 1,000 to 9,999 10,000 or more Location of recruiter Company size

15 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 15 Recruiter Behavior Employers are looking deeper into today s candidate pool to ensure that their new hires will fit well with their company s work culture. Given the fierce competition among job seekers, how can a candidate stand out? To answer this question, it is important to understand not only what attributes and skills employers seek in new hires, but also how they go about the recruitment process. Recruitment Methods The most common recruitment methods or strategies that responding companies employ to recruit recent business school graduates included use of the company s website (9), employee referrals (9), and past and present interns (84%). When asked to rate the effectiveness of each method, however, employers responded that recruiting among their current and past interns and conducting oncampus recruitment were the most effective strategies for identifying potential new hires. 7 Recruitment practices differ greatly among world regions. Table 4 lists the top five most effective recruitment techniques, as rated by employers within each of the three regions displayed. ASIA-PACIFIC: Although more than one-third of Asia- Pacific-based employers reported this year that they plan to increase the number of schools where they will recruit, their top four most effective recruitment strategies notably do not include school relations. EUROPE: Similar to global findings, European firms found recruiting among past and present interns to be the most effective means of identifying candidates for hire. They also leverage their company resources for hiring and recruiting job candidates through their company website and from employee referrals. UNITED STATES: Employers ranked on-campus recruitment as the most effective method for recruiting graduate business school candidates, followed by intern recruitment, and employee referrals. US employers also rated university partnership programs as a highly effective method for finding potential new hires. Social Media and Recruiting The majority (71%) of survey respondents reported using social media as part of their recruitment strategy. Of employers who utilized social media to recruit new hires, only 28 percent reported these outlets to be highly effective for recruiting. Survey findings show that LinkedIn was the most highly utilized of all social media (75% of respondents), and was rated the most effective as a recruitment tool 33 percent of respondents rated LinkedIn as very useful, and 37 percent rated it as somewhat useful. Facebook and Twitter were the second- and thirdmost utilized social media, used by 46 percent and 34 percent of employers, respectively. Table 4. Top 5 Most Effective Recruiting Techniques or Strategies*, by World Region Asia-Pacific Europe United States Employee referrals Past & present interns On-campus recruitment Online job boards Company website Past & present interns Recruitment agencies Online job boards Employee referrals Social media Employee referrals University partnership programs On-campus recruitment On-campus recruitment Networking events *Respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of 17 different recruitment methods. Effectiveness based upon percentage of respondents who rated technique as highly effective when recruiting graduate business students. See complete list in Footnote 7. 7 Respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of 17 different recruitment methods. These included: recruitment from past and current interns, accessing the university resume book/database, working with professional associations and their candidate databases, business school alumni networks, student organizations or clubs, career fairs, agencies or executive recruiters, online job search boards, job announcements in print media, company websites, employee referrals, networking events, social media, university partnership programs, corporate presentations, and virtual recruiting (video interviews).

16 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report Table 5. Percentage of Employers With Plans to Change Number of Schools They Engage for Recruiting in 2014, by World Region Median number of schools targeted in 2014 Planning to increase number of schools Asia-Pacific Europe United States On Campus Off Campus On Campus Off Campus On Campus Off Campus % 34% 27% 23% 21% 23% No change 59% 55% 64% 59% 63% 67% Planning to decrease number of schools 5% 1 27% 18% 16% 1 School Selection The majority of survey respondents plan to recruit from the same number of schools in 2014 as they did last year (Table 5). Employers reported that throughout 2013 they made on-campus visits to a median of four universities each, and recruited at a median of two schools through other methods, such as conducting virtual interviews, posting to online job boards, and involvement with career fairs. Comparing the level of school recruiting activities by regions, US companies recruit from more schools than do Asia-Pacific and European companies both in terms of on-campus activities and other school-related recruiting efforts. n Asia-Pacific companies plan to recruit on campus from an average (median) of four universities, and engage one university through off-campus recruiting efforts. More than one-third of firms will increase both the number of schools they engage for on-campus recruiting (37%) and other recruiting methods (34%). n European companies will target an average (median) of three universities for on-campus recruitment and one university for other methods. Although equal percentages of European companies will increase (27%) or decrease (27%) the number of campuses they visit, 23 percent of European firms have plans to increase offcampus engagement with universities. n US companies will target an average (median) of five universities for on-campus recruitment, and two universities using off-campus efforts. While the majority of US companies will not adjust their target numbers, 21 percent of companies will increase the number of schools they work with for on-campus visits, and 23 percent will increase the number of schools they recruit from using other means. School Selection Criteria Corporate recruiters consider a multitude of factors when determining which schools to engage for their recruitment efforts (Figure 9). Quality of students (8 of respondents) and school reputation (65%) are the most influential criteria employers cite when selecting schools for job candidate recruitment, followed by satisfaction with past interns. Student Selection To stand out in a competitive job market, candidates must not only have the skills required to perform on the job, but be able to market themselves to employers. To do so, job candidates must be able to understand the skills, qualities, and experience employers seek. When asked what factors were most important when selecting candidates to interview, employers most frequently cited responses were proven ability to perform (61%), followed by technical and/or quantitative skills (54%). These results differed by world region, however, as shown in Table 6. Employers in Asia-Pacific and Europe regard an applicant s prior company experience as the top criteria when selecting candidates to interview; for US employers, a candidate s proven ability to perform on the job tops all other candidate attributes. Work Experience Because the recruitment process provides candidates and employers limited access to one another, it is important for candidates to demonstrate that they will bring the requisite work experience and expertise that a graduate business degree represents. According to employers, past work experience is one of the strongest indicators of future employment success. Employers surveyed in 2014 expect their new MBA graduate hires to have a median of four years of prior work experience, double the number of years of prior experience employers expected from non-mba graduate hires with specialized business degrees in accounting, management, or finance.

17 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 17 Interns and Internships Internships are an extremely important way for business school students to acquire real-world experience while still completing their studies. Students who complete an internship not only gain on-the-job experience, but also are exposed to contacts that could help them land a future job. In 2014, 68 percent of employers reported that their companies had employed graduate business students as interns in 2013: n 57 percent employed MBA students as interns. Of the companies that had MBA interns, 8 76 percent hired one or more of their interns for full-time positions. Figure 9. Key Criteria Employers Use When Selecting Schools for Recruiting Efforts Quality of the students Reputation of school Satisfaction with past interns School ranking Alumni performance Quality of the curriculum Location of school Influence of alumni at company Retention history of past hires Relationship with career services Global recognition of school Flexibility of students School accreditation Reputation of faculty Ease of scheduling visit logistics Salary expectations of students Ethnic diversity of the class Admissions standards 25% 24% 23% 22% 21% 2 43% 43% 42% 4 38% 37% 33% 31% 3 57% 65% Percentage of respondents Table 6. Top 10 Selection Criteria Employers Use When Identifying Candidates to Interview, by World Region Rank Asia-Pacific Europe United States #1 Prior employer Prior employer Proven ability to perform #2 Prior industry Years of work experience Impression from resume #3 Proven ability to perform Technical/quantitative skills Technical/quantitative skills #4 Years of work experience Prior occupation Prior industry #5 Technical/quantitative skills Internships Strong academic success #6 Leadership recognition/awards Prior industry Prior occupation #7 Prior occupation International experience* Years of work experience #8 Strong academic success Proven ability to perform Business school reputation #9 Business school reputation Global experience** Prior employer #10 Record of increased job responsibility Impression from resume Internships *Relevant language, country, and/or cultural expertise or international work experience. **Either education or work outside of home country. 8 Percentage represents companies that had MBA interns and knew hiring counts.

18 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report n 29 percent of employers had non-mba business master s students as interns last year. Of the companies that employed non-mba business master s interns, 9 68 percent hired one or more of these interns for full-time employment. Internships also are an important recruitment strategy for employers: n More than half (57%) of responding employers in 2014 said satisfaction with current and past interns factors into their selection criteria when choosing future schools to recruit from. n When ranking the effectiveness of various candidate recruitment methods in this year s survey, employers in Europe and the United States reported that internships are the No. 1 and No. 2 most effective way (respectively) for employers to recruit business school graduates. Skills Employers Seek in New Hires Today s job market has become increasingly competitive. Not only are recent business school graduates competing against one another, but they are competing against other college graduates and against experienced workers. When recruiters see a candidate with an MBA or other advanced graduate business degree, they assume that the prospect will have the necessary business knowledge and quantitative skills to fill a position. To assess the skills and abilities employers demand in recent graduate business hires, this year s respondents were asked to evaluate the importance of five overall skill sets:, managerial, teamwork, leadership, and technical. Also, for the first time in this survey, they were asked to indicate the proficiency level for the specific skills in each category that they would require of a recent business school graduate being considered for placement in a mid-level position. Of the five overall skill sets evaluated, employers said skills were the most important skills they seek in recent business school graduates, followed by teamwork, technical, leadership, and managerial skills (Figure 10). With the exception of one industry manufacturing this finding was true across all world regions and employers, regardless of company size or industry. Communication skills are very important to employers on average twice as important as managerial skills. Table 7 displays the specific subset of skills employers seek in each category, ranked in order of proficiency level expected (from highly proficient to less proficient) of a potential candidate for a mid-level job position. To compare the importance of each of the specific skills across the five categories, a Standardized Proficiency Rating was calculated for each individual skill. 10 The sheer value of skills can be observed in Figure 11, which shows the relative proficiency levels for each of the skills. Figure 10. Relative Importance of Skill Sets Employers Require for Mid-Level Job Placement -1 Standard deviation Mean +1 Standard deviation 40 Relative importance* Communication Teamwork Technical Leadership Managerial Overall skill sets *Respondents were asked to allocate 100 points among the five skill sets based on their level of importance when hiring a recent business school graduate for placement in a mid-level position. 9 Percentage represents companies that had non-mba interns and knew hiring counts. 10 Proficiency levels were calculated by multiplying the number of points each respondent allocated to the overall skill (out of a total of 100) by the level of proficiency rating recorded for the specific skill or attribute. Proficiency ratings were set on a 10-point scale, ranging from 0 (not required) to 10 (expert level).

19 2014 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report 19 Table 7. Specific Skills Ranked by Expected Proficiency Level for Mid-Level Job Placement* Rank Communication Teamwork Technical Leadership Managerial #1 Oral Adaptability Quantitative analysis Integrity #2 Listening skills #3 Written #4 Presentation skills Ability to value opinions of others Cross-cultural sensitivity Ability to follow a leader #5 Negotiation skills Delegation skills Qualitative analysis Core business knowledge Technology Specific language skills *Individual skills are ranked based on the average ratings within each overall grouping. See Footnote 10 for details. Drive Innovation and creativity Ability to inspire others Strategic vision Manage decisionmaking process Manage task environment Manage strategy and innovation Manage human capital Manage administrative activities Figure 11. Skills Companies Demand in New Graduate Business School Hires, Based on a Standardized Analysis of Skill Proficiency Oral Listening skills Written Presentation skills Adaptability Integrity Ability to value opinions of others Drive Cross-cultural sensitivity Ability to follow a leader Quantitative analysis Qualitative analysis Negotiation skills Core business knowledge Innovation and creativity Ability to inspire others Strategic vision Delegation skills Technology Specific language skills Managing decision-making process Managing task environment Managing strategy and innovation Managing human capital Managing administrative activities Communication Teamwork Leadership Technical Managerial Low Standardized measure of required proficiency High

20 Corporate Recruiters Survey Report The top four skills employers seek in new hires fall within the realm of : with oral and listening skills ranked first- and second-highest followed by written, presentation skills, and fifth-ranked adaptability a teamwork skill. Although US and Asia-Pacific companies followed the overall ranking for the next few skills listed in Figure 11, European companies reported different skill requirements, instead seeking graduates highly proficient in teamwork skills adaptability, ability to value the opinions of others, cross-cultural sensitivity, and the ability to follow a leader. Desired skill sets for mid-level hires vary across industries (Table 8). With the exception of manufacturing, employer respondents in each industry sector expect new hires to be highly proficient in oral. In fact, skills classified in the category dominate the toprated proficiency levels as displayed in the table: 25 of the 60 skills shown are related to, followed by teamwork skills (listed 14 times). Unlike other industries, manufacturing companies designated high proficiency in leadership skills as the most sought-after skill set, with integrity at the top. Oral was ranked sixth out of the top 10 skills shown. Employers in the finance and accounting sector seek mid-level job candidates highly proficient in technical skills, including both quantitative and qualitative analysis skills. Table 8. Top 10 Desired Skills Employers Seek for Mid-Level Hires, Ranked in Order of Required Proficiency*, by Industry** Rank Consulting Finance/ Accounting Health Care Technology Manufacturing Products/ Services #1 Oral Oral Oral Oral Integrity Oral #2 Listening skills Written Listening skills Listening skills Drive Integrity #3 Written Listening skills Written Presentation skills Ability to inspire others Listening skills #4 Presentation skills Presentation skills Presentation skills Written Innovation and creativity Drive #5 Adaptability Quantitative analysis Integrity Adaptability Strategic vision Presentation skills #6 Ability to value opinions of others Qualitative analysis Drive Ability to value opinions of others Oral Adaptability #7 Quantitative analysis Adaptability Adaptability Ability to follow a leader Listening skills Written #8 Qualitative analysis Core business knowledge Ability to value opinions of others Integrity Presentation skills Innovation and creativity #9 Core business knowledge Ability to value opinions of others Ability to inspire others Cross-cultural sensitivity Written Ability to value opinions of others #10 Negotiation skills Ability to follow a leader Negotiation skills Negotiation skills Adaptability Cross-cultural sensitivity *Rank order based on standardized measure of desired proficiency. See Footnote 10 for details. **Data not shown for energy/utilities and nonprofit/government sectors due to insufficient responses, N < 25.